Mario Belloni and Wolfgang ChristianDavidson College
Doug Brown, Anne Cox, Francisco Esquembre, Harvey Gould, Robert Hanson, Bruce Mason, Todd Timberlake, Jan Tobochnick,
and Kristen Thompson
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE-0442581, DUE-0126439, and DUE-9752365)
Brief description/demo of tools.
Explore Physlet Physics 3E demo site/materials.
Explore OSP site/materials.
Discussion of how to use.
The Physlet and Open Source Physics Projectsunder the umbrella of “OSP” provide curriculum,curricular resources, and tools designed toactively engage students in:
learning astronomy & physics computer modeling and video analysis
computational physics
with the goal of giving students new ways tounderstand, describe, explain, and predictphysical phenomena.
All of our materials are freely available on theOSP Collection in ComPADRE.
A point source is located to the left of a mirror. You canclick-drag the point source to any position (position is givenin centimeters).1. Find the focal length of the mirror.2. Describe the technique(s) you used to determine the
focal length.Problem 33.1:
https://physlets.org/pp/optics/mirrors/default.html
Java: Programming language for simulations.Simulations can be run as stand-alone archives (jars) or asapplets. Caution: Java applets are deprecated and onlywork in small number of browsers. All desktop Javaapplications (jar files) continue to function if Java the JREis installed.
JavaScript: Scripting language created in 1995 and is partof the HTML5 standard. Recently updated to EuropeanComputer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) Script 6.
HTML5: Markup language standard for the Web goingforward. Supports JavaScript, CSS, etc. Does not support JavaApplets or Flash plug-ins.
The Physlet and Open Source Physics Projectsare under the umbrella of “OSP” providecurriculum, curricular resources, and toolsdesigned to actively engage students with thegoal of providing students with new ways tounderstand, describe, explain, and predictphysical phenomena.
One Java application….one Java simulation…..one idea/one concept.
One HTML page ….one JavaScript simulation…..one idea/one concept.
One eBook page ….one JavaScript simulation…..one idea/one concept.
…thinking about the material available, how it behaves,how you and your students might use, etc.
Problem 33.1: https://physlets.org/pp/optics/mirrors/default.html
User: Students access pre-made simulations that(hopefully) they must interact with.
Modeler: Students are given access to a softwarepackage with a simple user interface. Students must thensimulate the physics of a problem by modeling at a highlevel of abstraction. For example, adding the physics inthe form of differential equations (rates of change) andinitial conditions.
Programmer: Students are given tools to programa physics example using traditional computational physicstechniques.
Open Source Physics: www.compadre.org/OSP/
Physlet Physics 2E: www.compadre.org/Physlets
Physlet Quantum Physics 2E: www.compadre.org/PQP
Physlet Physics 3E: https://physlets.org/pp/optics/
Tracker Video Analysis Tool: www.cabrillo.edu/~dbrown/tracker/
Easy Java/JavaScript Simulations (EJS/EjsS): fem.um.es/Ejs/
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User: Students access pre-made simulations that(hopefully) they must interact with.
Modeler: Students are given access to a softwarepackage with a simple user interface. Students must thensimulate the physics of a problem by modeling at a highlevel of abstraction. For example, adding the physics inthe form of differential equations (rates of change) andinitial conditions.
Programmer: Students are given tools to programa physics example using traditional computational physicstechniques.
www.compadre.org/Physlets www.compadre.org/PQP
Physlets, Physics applets, were small, flexible Java applets that were ...
Visual and Interactive Uniform in User Interface Pedagogically Adaptable Web based with Java-enabled browser Free for noncommercial use.
Physlet Physics 2E Physlet Quantum Physics 2E
JS Physlets, Physics applets, are small, flexible JavaScript simulations that are ...
Visual and Interactive Uniform in User Interface Pedagogically Adaptable Web based w/ JavaScript-enabled browser Free for noncommercial use.
PRESENT: Converting these 1,000 pieces of curricular material (Illustrations, Explorations, and Problems)…to JavaScript to run everywhere:
https://physlets.org/pp/
Currently 127 Optics + 130 Fluids and E&M simulations and growing (fast).
When completed, the 3E of Physlet books will be on ComPADRE.
User: Students access pre-made simulations that they must interact with.
Pedagogies: Peer Instruction / Think-Pair-Share / Clickers Just-in-Time Teaching Guided Inquiry/Tutorial Group Problem Solving Lecture Demonstration TIPERs (Ranking Tasks, etc) In-class Exercise Homework Laboratory Exercises (pre-lab, in-lab, post-lab) Etc.
User: Students access pre-made simulations that (hopefully) they must interact with.
Modeler: Students are given access to a software package with a simple user interface. Students must then simulate the physics of a problem by modeling at a high level of abstraction. For example, adding the physics in the form of differential equations (rates of change) and initial conditions.
Programmer: Students are given tools to program a physics example using traditional computational physics techniques.
OSP-based free and open source (hmm..) video analysis program. On the OSP Collection there are numerous examples from Angry Birds to solar rotation rates, plus students can take their own videos. Rhett Allain often uses Tracker as part of his WIRED blog.
Image or Video
Play and set timeData Table
Graph Data
Set Tracks and Parameters
User: Students access pre-made simulations that (hopefully) they must interact with.
Modeler: Students are given access to a software package with a simple user interface. Students must then simulate the physics of a problem by modeling at a high level of abstraction. For example, adding the physics in the form of differential equations (rates of change) and initial conditions.
Programmer: Students are given tools to program a physics example using traditional computational physics techniques.
To create Java and JavaScript (HTML5 compliant) simulations we use the EJS/EjsS Tool
• EjsS creates both Java and JS simulations
• To see examples (>500) of stand-alone Java simulations: www.compadre.org/osp search “...”
• To see examples (>200) of JS simulations: www.compadre.org/osp search “JS” for JavaScript
The advantage of EJS for physics teaching is it separates the model into logicalparts (variables and evolution) and it separates the model from the view (thevisualization of the simulated model).
Easy Java Simulations: (EJS) is free open sourcesoftware that is designed to create interactivesimulations in Java (applications and applets)without the necessity of prior programmingknowledge.
The Horizontal Mass and Spring Harmonic Oscillator model illustrates the forces and dynamics of a simple oscillator.
This simulation uses the accelerometer on your mobile device to read the direction of the gravitation field g.
Mass and Spring Simple Harmonic Oscillator JS Model
You may need to lock the orientation of your screen to maintain a fixedview as you tilt your device. For use on computers without anaccelerometer or for classroom use, the "No sensor" mode simulates a tilteddevice in the view.
Over 50 stand-alone Java created with EJSs programs for intro astronomy on
OSP Collection on ComPADREAlso organized in
M.B. Astro Filing Cabinet
User: Students access pre-made simulations that(hopefully) they must interact with.
Modeler: Students are given access to a softwarepackage with a simple user interface. Students must thensimulate the physics of a problem by modeling at a highlevel of abstraction. For example, adding the physics inthe form of differential equations (rates of change) andinitial conditions.
Programmer: Students are given tools to programa physics example using traditional computational physicstechniques.
Differential equations and ODE numerical algorithms: oscillators,Newtonian orbits, and few-body problems.
PDEs and boundary value problems: Laplace and Poisson equations.
Stochastic models and Monte Carlo algorithms: Random walks and the Isingmodel.
Chaos theory: Logistic map and driven pendulum.
Final project of the student’s choice.
PDF available at no cost on ComPADRE: ID 7375
Available at low cost on Amazon using print on demand.
Modeler: Students (intro, classical mechanics, computationalphysics) are given access to a software package with a simple userinterface. Students simulate the physics of a problem by modeling at ahigh level of abstraction. For example, adding the physics in the formof differential equations (rates of change) and initial conditions.
Tracker: is a free and open source video analysis software program.
Easy Java Simulations: (EJS) is free open source software that isdesigned to create interactive simulations in Java (applications andapplets) without the necessity of prior programming knowledge toquickly and easily prototype, test, and distribute packages of Javasimulations. EJS allows students, teachers, and curriculum authors toeasily write and/or change simulations. Can also be used to teachcomputational physics.
OSP ComPADRE Item 11247
Non-Science Major/Astronomy
Introductory Physics and Astronomy
Major-Level Courses
Introducing Current Research into Courses
But expectations, outcomes, and scaffolding are different
What version you use will be related to thecourse you are teaching, your student body, andyour expertise.
In general… …the less sophisticated the student,
the more sophisticated the user interface...and the more interactive, the better….
...keeping in mind that technology without pedagogy......is just technology.
Open Source Physics: www.compadre.org/OSP/
Physlet Physics 2E: www.compadre.org/Physlets Physlet Quantum Physics 2E: www.compadre.org/PQP
Physlet Physics 3E: https://physlets.org/pp/optics/
Tracker Video Analysis Tool: www.cabrillo.edu/~dbrown/tracker/
Easy Java/JavaScript Simulations (EJS/EjsS): fem.um.es/Ejs/
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• OSP Java Code: Wolfgang Christian• EJS: Paco Esquembre and Felix Garcia• Tracker: Doug Brown• ComPADRE: Bruce Mason, Matthew Riggsbee,
and Lyle Barbado• Java and JavaScript Simulations: MB, WC, Todd
Timberlake, and Michael Gallis• Physlet Physics 3E : Robert Hanson, Anne Cox,
MB, and WC • Intro Astronomy eBook: Kristen Thompson, MB
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